Newlyweds Amanda and David had two special members in their wedding party; the flower girl and her dogs serving as ring bearers.

“They are our fur babies, but we treat them like kids,” bride Amanda tells PEOPLE of Golden Retriever Aria and miniature Australian shepherd Ayce.

“They are very, very special to us, they are a big part of our lives,” he adds of the canine duo. “And since a wedding is such an important part of our lives, we wanted them not only to attend, but to be a part of it because it’s really emotional for us to celebrate with them.”

Amanda and her husband David welcomed Ayce in March 2020, when she was 4 months old, and Aria, in February 2023, when she was 2 months old. The couple began training their dogs when the pets joined the family.

“It’s a really fun activity to test their training,” he says, noting that David came up with the idea for the dogs’ roles in the ceremony.

When the Oregon couple got married in Portland in August, Aria carried a basket of flowers down the aisle with Amanda’s sister, delighting guests.

“They were screaming and really excited and so happy,” Amanda says. “There’s a video of him walking down the aisle and you can hear the crowd going, ‘Ugh’ the whole time.”

He also united the couple by saying “Drinks are on us. With love, Ayce and Aria” and served them with their faces on cocktail napkins. They also used personalized drink mixers and cocktails named after dog teeth.

The couple bought a custom-made floral collar for Aria and a boutonniere for Ayce. poppy flowers to create the festive look of dogs.

They also hired two dog trainers. Jokes and WreathsA service specializing in dog grooming for weddings and special occasions.

“It was really nice because we were able to enjoy our wedding ourselves without having to worry about them,” says Amanda. “And the dog trainers were great at working with both Ayce and Aria to make sure our guests were able to say hello.”

She adds that the instructors helped relieve Ayce’s anxiety about being in crowded places and interacting with strangers.

Never miss a story — sign up PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter To stay up to date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling juicy stories.

“When I think about our wedding, I really think about them and all the little aspects they played a part in,” Amanda says of Aria and Ayce.

The celebration also featured a “paw” where she and David shared their first dance with two dogs.

“It was really emotional to be able to spend a little more time with them on this very busy and special day,” she says.

Since we shared images of the big event instagramAmanda says she’s received lots of messages from people considering including their own pets in their weddings.

“Seeing dogs be a part of the wedding is not only fun and enlightening, but I think it inspires other dog parents to do the same and train their dogs so they can walk them down the aisle,” she adds.